56 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



STONE 



The products of the stone quarries form a large item in the total 

 mineral production of the State. The last few years have wit- 

 nessed, however, some notable changes in the relative importance 

 of the different branches of the stone industry. The use of cement 

 and terra cotta in architectural work has curtailed the demand for 

 cut stone, so that this branch no longer occupies the prominent 

 place that it once had. Similarly the market for flagstone and 

 curbstone has fallen off, especially for flagstone, as a result of the 

 favor shown for cement construction. On the other hand there 

 has been a tremendous development of the crushed stone industry, 

 which has practically counterbalanced the declines in the other de- 

 partments. Altogether the changes that have taken place have 

 meant a loss industrially, since the preparation of crushed stone 

 requires a minimum of labor of the unskilled sort, while the cut 

 stone business once gave employment to large numbers of highly 

 trained workmen. 



The statistics of stone production which have been supplied by 

 the quarry operators throughout the State indicate that the year 

 191 5 was a period of great depression for practically all branches 

 of the industry. The decline in production coming after a period 

 of such radical curtailment as shown by the returns for the pre- 

 ceding year in comparison with those for 191 3, was significant of a 

 reaction such as the industry has not experienced previously for a 

 long time. The total value of the quarry materials amounted to 

 $5,162,115 against $5,741,137 in 1914 and $6,763,064 in 1913. This 

 represents a decline of 10 per cent for the past year and of 24 per 

 cent in the output for the two years since 191 3. The depression 

 caused the closing of some quarries. There is little doubt that the 

 decline has reached its lowest point, and hereafter an improvement 

 may be expected, as in fact there has already been some change for 

 the better. 



The granite quarries made the best showing of all, but this was 

 due largely to the product of a single quarry in southeastern New 

 York which supplied stone for a large contract. The output of 

 crushed stone and paving blocks is expected to increase during the 

 current season through the addition of new producers to the list. 



Limestone, as heretofore, constituted more than one-half of the 

 total output in value. The product was but little smaller than that 

 for 1914, the principal decrease being in the item of crushed stone. 



